Program-clock.



N0- 637,34l. Patented Nov. 21,1899. H. F. JORDAN.

PROGRAM CLOCK.

(Application filed Doc. 12, 1898.) (No Model.)

FIQI.

WITNESSES /N VENTOH l M A 770MB Y.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IIARRY F. JORDAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ALBERT L. BENTLEY, OF SAME PLACE.

PROGRAM-CLOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 637,341, dated November 21, 1899. Application filed December 12, 1898. Serial No. 699,000. (No model.)

To 610% whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY F. JORDAN, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Time-Reminders, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to clocks, and particularly to time-calls or time-reminders. Its main object is to provide a simple and accurate device for signaling an operator at certain predetermined times and for denoting the things to be done at the time of each signal. I accomplish this object by the device illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which i Figure 1 is a partly-sectional side elevation of a clock embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of same, having part of the outer casing and dial cut away.

The casing 1 has therein the casing 2, containing an ordinary clock-movement. An arm 3 is rigidly secured to the arbor 4c of the hour-hand 5, immediately under the dial 6. A conductor ring or plate 7 is secured to the front of the casing by a series of metallic eyelets 8. This is connected by the conductor 9 to the battery 10, which is connected with the alarm-actuating mechanism in the casing 11 through the conductor 12. The conductor 13 connects the alarm-actuatin g mechanism with the casing 2, which is also an electric conduotor.

A number of metallic pegs or checks 14.- are provided for insertion in different eyelets S for forming an electric connection between the arm 3 and the ring 7 Whenever said arm is in contact with one of said pegs.

The member 3' of the arm 3 is pivoted to the body of the arm at 3 and normally held by the spring 15 in alinement with the body of the arm, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2. A stop 16 on the body of the arm 3 prevents the spring from pulling the memher 3 forward of its position on the body of the arm, as shown by said dotted lines.

A catch 17 is pivoted to the frame 18 of the clock mechanism and is in engagement with the gear-wheel 19, which drives the arbor i. This, through the spring 20, prevents the sud den forward movement of the gear-wheel 19 at the time the arm 3 is released from one of the pegs. It will be understood that the clearance between the gear-teeth of the clocktrain would permit such forward movement beyond the ordinary movement of the wheel 19 in the absence of such stop 17. The spring 20 isnot of sufficient strength to interfere with the ordinary operation of the clock-train, but acts as a stop or detent to counteract the movement of the arm 3 through its sudden release from one of the pegs 14.

The action of the stop 17 will be better understood if it is assumed that the arm 3 is not counterbalanced, as at 23. In such case when the hour-hand passes the hour twelve the slight clearance between the gear-wheels of the clock-train would permit the hand and arm 3 to fall slightly toward the right. Even with the use of the counterbalance it is free to have a slight swinging movement ahead of the clock-train. The lever 17 prevents this swing, holding the wheel 19, and with it the arm 3, against such movement to the right until same is moved by the ordinary forward action of the next wheelin the train. Then the arm 3 is released from one of the pegs, its action is again similar to the falling or swinging ahead of the action of the train, as when it passes its vertical position at the hour of twelve.

The arm 17 does not prevent the eftectiveness of the time operating mechanism, since the spring 20 is so much weaker than the mainspring of the clock that the latter can be readily regulated to run in proper time. The spring 20 is merely strong enough to prevent the falling or throw of the arm 3 ahead of the action of the clocktrain.

While the play between the teeth of the wheel 19 and the teeth of the next wheel in the train is but very slight, as in an ordinary clock, it would plainly permit the arm 3 to have a considerable movement at its free end, and in absence of a device to counteract such movement would cause the alarm to ring ahead of the proper time. This would of course be the case only if a pin were set near the position of the hand at the place of said falling. So that if a pin were set in the next perforation to that at the hour of twelve,

which should cause the alarm to ring at 12.15 oclock, the alarm would in the absence of such counteracting device ringimmediately after twelve oclock.

A second clock-dial is preferably provided at the circle formed by the eyelets 8, corresponding to the hour notation on the dial 6. The eyelets 8 are preferably four in number for each hour, so that a peg 14: may be inserted to give a signal at any desired quarter of an hour.

Perforations 21 are provided for the reception of the pegs when not in the eyelets. Each peg is provided with a tag 22, preferably of celluloid or like material, upon which the operator may make a memorandum of the thing to be done at the time he receives a signal through the peg bearing such memorandum.

The arm 3 is counterbalanced at The operation of the device is as follows: lVhen no pegs are inserted, the clock will operate without thealarm, the arm 3 being carried around with the hour-hand on the arbor 4. If it is desired that an alarm be given for example, at ocl0ckone of the pegs 14 is inserted in the position shown in Fig. 2 in one of the eyelets 8. At the required time the member 3 of the arm 3 will come in contact with such peg and will immediately cause the alarm 24 to ring, an electric circuit being formed through the peg 14:, ring 7,0011- ductor 9, battery 10, conductor 12, alarm-actuating mechanism in the casing 11, conductor 18, casing 2, arbor t, and arm The alarm will continue to ring until the circuit is broken either by the removal of the peg or until the arm 3 has reached a position at which its member 3 will leave the peg.

It will be understood that the minor details of my device may be considerably altered without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I am aware that electric alarm-clocks or time-calls have been used heretofore in which a circuit-closing arm is carried by the clockmovement and in which a series of contactpegs in fixed positions in the path of said arm are electrically connected with an annunciator-board through circuit-wires and other pegs or checks movable on said board. I therefore do not claim such construction.

In my device one series of such pegs or checks is dispensed with and the circuit-closing arm 3 is arranged to have direct contact with the annunciator checks or pegs 1%.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A time-reminder comprising aclock and casing; the front wall of the casing, having a dial surrounded by a series of perforations passing through said front wall; said perforations being reinforced and connected in series by an electric conductor; a circuit-closing arm carried by the clock-movement; said circuit-closing arm consisting of a main member having a rear extension with a counterweight thereon, a second member pivoted to the forward end of said main member, a stop for limiting the relative pivotal movement of said members, and a spring normally urging said second member toward the limit of said pivotal movement; an electric alarm connected to said arm through the clock-movement, and connected directly to said conductor; a series of pegs adapted to be removably inserted in said perforations whereby and through direct contact of the pegs with said second member, the alarm is sounded; mechanism for counteracting the swing or falling of said arm ahead of the normal action of the clock-train, and a series of memorandumtablets, for attachment to said pegs; substantially as described.

Signed by me at Chicago, Illinois, this 9th day of December, 1898.

HARRY 1. JORDAN.

Witnesses:

WM. R. RUMMLER, ALFRED MELTZER. 

